Ice Choir

Why You Need to Listen: The Pains of Being Pure of Heart drummer Kurt Feldman’s latest band, Ice Choir, is pure ’80s synth fetishism. But Feldman is no mere sentimentalist—his songs are progressive pop with an awesomely avant edge. Feldman purposefully plucked the best part of ’80s music (fretless bass! synthesizers! experimentalism!) and added his own modern sensibilities and musical prowess to make some of the most fun and contemplative techno pop around. Their first album, Afar, came out July 26.